Beachcomber

It’s time to clean our beaches after another summer season. Today, Saturday, September 16, there are two locations on the peninsula where you can join other Rockawayites in being environmentally conscious: Beach 6 to Beach 17 street and Beach 116 street. The cleanup begins at 9:00 a.m. in both locations.

How nice it was to get to Manhattan in 32 minutes from Rockaway. We experienced a fabulous ferry ride offered by Sea Streak America last week at the opening of the Riis Landing in Rockaway Point. Now we just have to pray that this thing becomes a reality and it will be affordable for commuters. To have your voice heard on ferry service, make sure to participate in the survey you’ll be receiving in the next few weeks. Participants also have the chance to win a $250 shopping spree to our local Waldbaum’s.

Rockaway Music and Arts Council will have its annual Fall Festival next weekend, September 23 and 24. Make sure to read this week’s "Notes From The High C’s" to get the scoop on the events and activities planned.

Congratulations to Congressman Anthony Weiner, who won the Democratic Primary last Tuesday against Noach Dear. Weiner won with 73 percent to Dear’s 27 percent. We also congratulate Pauline Rhodd Cummings on her re-election to the State Assembly. We urge both Weiner and Cummings to keep focusing on improving Rockaway’s schools, transportation, waterfront, beaches and parks during their second terms. We look forward to seeing them come through on their promises…

The City of New York unveiled a $3.2 billion plan this week that would bring the 2012 Summer Olympics to New York, includes a new marina at Breezy Point in the Gateway National Recreation Area for sailing competition.

Awards for Rockaway Little League players will be given out today, Saturday, September 16. See the sports sections for times.

Through the efforts of Community Board 14 and the NYC Department of Heath, another mosquito magnet has been placed in Arverne. This magnet is in the "test stages" to see if it help alleviate the mosquito infestation that has plagued that area for years.

It was a tasty treat for Belle Harbor residents on Wednesday and Thursday of this week when crews were seen filming a Doritos (potato chips) commercial on the 500 block of Beach 130 street.

After the City Council had their own engineers look at Neponsit Health Care Center, the cost for repairs dropped from $1.2 million to $600,000. Council Speaker Peter Vallone, a mayoral hopeful, is demanding that the city make these repairs and reopen the facility. Neponsit was closed two years ago under a cloud of controversy.

It was announced at Community Board 14 this week that Destination Technodome is near death. The details are still sketchy, but it looks like the billion-dollar project to revitalize the Arverne Urban Renewal Area is not coming to Rockaway. Back to the drawing board!